he 2019 FIA European Rally Championship fires up in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean from 21-23 March when the Azores Rallye hosts the opening exchanges of what is set to be another action-packed chase for on-stage glory.

OverviewThe 2019 FIA European Rally Championship fires up in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean from 21-23 March when the Azores Rallye hosts the opening exchanges of what is set to be another action-packed chase for on-stage glory. Established stars, national champions, category stalwarts – plus a host of young prospects aiming to prove their talent in ERC Junior – will be competing on a mixture of asphalt and gravel events during an eight-round season between now and November. And they will do so in an exciting array of machinery. With several stages from the Azores broadcast live, a thrilling start to the season is in store.

Azores Rallye in 100 wordsBased on São Miguel, the mid-Atlantic archipelago’s largest island, the event celebrated turning 50 in 2015 and remains one of the most spectacular on the international calendar. Gravel tests criss-cross breath-taking scenery and lush countryside, and are characterised by their sandy surface and narrow, undulating nature. And because the stages are often no wider than the width of a car, there is no margin for error, particularly on the iconic Sete Cidades, which runs along the rim of a volcanic crater lake, and where the weather can switch from sunshine to showers to fog in the blink of an eye.

What’s new for 2019?Several changes have been made to this year’s route with new and tweaked stages – including the untried Mediana Remédios test on leg one. The City Show, the non-competitive pre-rally demonstration run in Ponta Delgada on Wednesday evening, has also been revised as organisers usher in the changes.

Changes to the ERC include the renaming of the ERC Junior categories: ERC Junior Under 28 becomes ERC1 Junior, ERC Junior U27 becomes ERC3 Junior with continued support from Pirelli. Meanwhile, R4-K and RGT cars are eligible for ERC2 points, while Rally Hungary joins the calendar for the first time as the deciding round in November.

Don’t miss!Seven stages, including both runs of Sete Cidades on Friday 22 March, will be broadcast live on RTP Açores, and streamed on the official ERC website, FIAERC.com, and social media channels. However, before viewers are treated to the stunning Sete Cidades, they can enjoy the battle on the streets of Ponta Delgada, where the City Show takes place on the evening of Wednesday 20 March. On Thursday 21 March, fans can then watch live the event-opening Coroa da Mata stage followed by action from the Marques superspecial, which runs through the amphitheatre of a quarry. As well as the two visits to Sete Cidades, Friday’s live programming also includes the return to the Marques superspecial. Live coverage from Tronqueira, which hosts the second stage on Saturday 23 March and the rally’s deciding test that afternoon, will be the focus of leg three’s live output, which concludes with the podium finish in Ponta Delgada in early evening.

The Azores archipelago is located roughly equidistant between Lisbon and New York and is made up of nine islands. The fertile soil is perfect for a variety of crops and grazing for livestock.

Ribeira Grande, on São Miguel’s north coast, is becoming established as Portugal’s surfing capital with a number of national and international events being hosted there.

RRM WRC ARGENTINA MAGAZINE 140 🇦🇷 🌍

The 140th edition of RRM is eagerly awaited, with all the latest news from the World Rally Championship. Offering special reports with exclusive interviews of international level.In this time the edition of the month of March, has in its credit everything what happened with the triumph in Sweden, of the British Elfyn Evans with Toyota.

What will come from the Rome Capitale Rally 2020, valid for the European competition, organized by the Italian firm Motorsport Italia, which is headed by Max Rendina.An intense note from the top executive of TEIN INC. in Japan, Mr. Yoshio Fujimoto, with his sporting support for their stable programs in Motorsport on a global level, both with the professional support of the Japanese shock absorbers for the WRX and WRC. Counting on his successful sports campaign as a driver in the 90’s with Toyota.Which left the Monte Carlo Rally, with the princely victory of the Belgian Thierry Neuville, who drives the fabulous Hyundai Coupe i20 WRC Plus.

An exquisite and unique report to Mr. Yasuo Hiraoka, the head of Subaru Tecnica International, (STI), who thanks to the management of «kumi» Shinozaki, we were able to make this fantastic review with Mitaka’s boss.
Oliver Solberg, and his debut with the Fabia R5 EVO in Torsby.
The truncated schedule of the Speedagro Rally Argentina 2020, which has been postponed by the Coronavirus. And the Top Run of the Agnello brothers, who acquired a new generation Fabia R5 to run in the short term in the WRC3.
JESSICA VERZIN, the blonde Italian girl, who is in charge of the professional catering work for W RACING PROJECT for the 2019 world champion team of constructors, Hyundai Motorsport GmbH, stands out in the publication, showing her feminine and sensual side, and confirming the excellent work that WRP is doing, to provide a fantastic food service, from Italy to the whole WRC Plus circus.

Finally the new French weapon of Renault Sport Racing of France, the New CLIO Rally 5, which was shown as car 0 in Monte Carlo and debuts in the Mexican Rally Azteca with the Argentinean driver Martin Suriani.Leaves a bitter and sad taste the postponement of the 40 years of the Rally of the Republic of Argentina, but it is a reason of world health, that exceeds to all, and the first thing is the common sense and the prevention of all.We expect news soon, with the 2 month interval that the WRC will have, after the dispute in the WRC 2020 in Leon.

M-Sport and Ford are proud to introduce the all-new EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta R5. Replacing its hugely successful predecessor, the new Fiesta promotes the latest motorsport technology and road-going design.

Based on the Ford Fiesta ST-Line which is manufactured at Ford’s world-class facility in Cologne, M‑Sport has worked closely with the Ford Motor Company to ensure the new Fiesta R5 provides a big step forward in terms of pace and performance.

The original Fiesta R5 is M-Sport’s most successful global rally car and continues to win stages, rallies and championships worldwide. With more than 250 cars in competition, the outgoing Fiesta remains a capable and competitive winner, but its successor boasts improvements in all areas.

The 1.6 turbo charged engine delivers 290 BHP and 475 Nm of torque at 4,000 RPM. The direct injection power plant is also fitted with a 32mm restrictor in conjunction with R5 regulations and provides a significant improvement in response and drivability

Brand-new suspension components include front and rear McPherson struts with redesigned three‑way adjustable dampers from Reiger. The new aluminium damper bodies save considerable weight, and the geometry has been remodelled for optimised traction and stability.

The initial design and development started in January 2018, with the first test session taking place in December that same year. Since then, eight test drivers have completed more than 30 days testing on a mix of different roads and conditions.

Smooth Tarmac, rough Tarmac, hot gravel, loose gravel, seasoned test drivers, rally winners, and even Formula One race winners – the latest Fiesta has been put through its paces and no stone has been left unturned in search of optimum speed, reliability and performance.

The project also upholds M-Sport’s support of young talent with 28-year-old Bernardo Fernandes – who engineered Sébastien Ogier to championship success in 2017 – leading the team.

Delving into his knowledge of the award-winning Ford Fiesta WRC, as well as the original Fiesta R5, Fernandes’ experience has been combined with the innovation of youth – his team creating one of M-Sport’s most long-awaiting and exciting creations.

Just like its predecessor, the all-new Fiesta R5 will get its first public outing at next month’s Ypres Rally – Éric Camilli taking to the wheel as the event’s VIP car. As one of the most experienced development drivers around, Camilli knows the car inside out and the event’s fast asphalt roads provide the perfect setting for the car’s debut performance.

More information on the all-new Fiesta R5 can be found in the Technical Specification, and those wishing to make an order are encouraged to contact M-Sport’s dedicated Sales Team at the following email address: R5Support@M‑Sport.co.uk

M-Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:

“The Ford Fiesta R5 is our most successful global rally car. It’s a very special car for M-Sport and even though the original cars continue to win rallies and championships all over the world, we have taken our time to ensure this new model is even better with performance gains in every area.

“The test programme has been extensive, and we have worked hard to ensure this new car suits every level of driver. We have quite literally travelled the world – testing on a wide range of surfaces, in varying conditions and with a whole host of drivers taking to the wheel. This car is extremely important to us, and its adaptability is vital to its success.

“I’m extremely proud of this project. As a company we have always promoted young talent, and the design and development of the all-new Fiesta R5 was headed by one of our most ambitious young engineers – Bernardo Fernandes.

“We’ve always given opportunities to youngsters who show a real drive and passion for what they do. Bernardo is a prime example of this, and having driven the car myself I can tell you that he and his team have done a fantastic job. I’m looking forward to seeing the all-new Ford Fiesta R5 in action, and hope to secure even more success!”

Ford Performance Senior Manager, Gerard Quinn, said:

“This is another important milestone for Ford as the introduction of the all-new Ford Fiesta R5 heralds the introduction of the latest in motorsport technology packaged into Europe’s best-selling car in its category.

“Ford investment in the new Fiesta R2 revealed earlier this year and the latest Fiesta R5 ensures that we are supporting a sustainable future in rally for competitors and our partners M-Sport.

“This new Fiesta R5 also enables us to provide a high-quality replacement for its remarkably successful predecessor which was introduced six years ago. In the past two seasons the Fiesta R5 has won more than 40 championships globally, and we are looking forward to much more success with this latest model.”

M-Sport Rally Engineer, Bernardo Fernandes, said:

“This was my first time heading up a project. It was a challenge, but also a real privilege to be given the responsibility. The outgoing Ford Fiesta R5 was so successful, and is still very competitive in the right hands, but we have taken our time to revise and improve every area of the car.

“The R5 category has always been extremely competitive and the biggest challenge is in finding the best compromise between cost and performance. We had a lot of previous experience that helped, and devised a rigorous test programme with a range of different surfaces and drivers.

“The whole team have worked exceptionally hard and we pushed every element to the limit in search of peak performance and reliability. I also need to say a special thanks to Richard Christensen who headed up the design team – his input was integral to the project and we couldn’t have done it without him.

“Overall, I’m confident that we’ve taken a significant step forward and I’m looking forward to seeing what the all-new Ford Fiesta R5 can deliver in the hands of our customers.”